Built for success

Simplicity and craftsmanship are Henrybuilt's hallmarks

"We thought it would grow slower," laughs Scott Hudson of
Henrybuilt, the furniture and kitchen design company he founded
with friend Peter Strang. Although it has been in existence for
only 2 1/2 years, the company, with a retail showroom on Seattle's
Western Avenue, has catapulted into a highly successful
business.

Before Henrybuilt, Hudson worked in the publishing industry. On
long business flights between Seattle and Japan, he filled
sketchbooks with drawings of furniture. In 2001 he asked Strang, a
longtime friend who was involved with construction and
cabinetmaking at the time, if he would be interested in a joint
venture. "We started out looking at it as a sideline thing,"
explains Hudson. But clients came quickly, and before long, orders
that began with a table were ballooning to include a sideboard,
kitchen cabinets, and beyond.

Strang and Hudson ― both modest to a fault ― seem
genuinely surprised by their company's rapid success, but it's easy
to see what's gotten them here. On Western Avenue, where a handful
of European importers offer sleek but not always well-constructed
designs at break-the-bank prices, Henrybuilt offers an alternative.
By controlling every step of the process ― design,
manufacturing, and retailing ― Henrybuilt is able to give
customers more for their money.

"Our clients are dealing with a craftsperson, not a
salesperson," Hudson says. "If someone comes into the showroom and
says, 'I really love that, but it is 84 inches long and I have an
82-inch space,' it's no problem. We can make it any size."

Furniture for everyone

What's absent from Henrybuilt's furniture is as important as
what is present. There are no glitzy metal finishes, no heavily
lacquered surfaces, no decorative ornamentation, and no wood
stains. The designs grow from the function of the piece and are
driven by the process of construction and the nature of the
materials. The wood, including cherry, mahogany, walnut, and
bamboo, is left as natural as possible, and details such as
interlocking joinery at the corners allow you to see how the pieces
are put together. The resulting aesthetic is modern and
minimalistic, but at the same time warm and approachable.

Henrybuilt is named for the owners' grandfathers, who were both
named Henry and who both worked with their hands to make enduring,
utilitarian products. But Hudson and Strang also feel that the name
conveys the down-to-earth image they want their company to have.
"We don't want people walking by and saying, 'I can't go in
there,'" Strang says.

"Our customers are regular people," Hudson adds. "They are
nurses, engineers, graphic designers, and PR people." And many are
outdoorsy people ― a quality that Hudson and Strang find
intriguing. They think there might be a parallel between outdoor
gear and their furniture, because both are meticulously engineered
for functionality and durability.

Fittingly, Strang and Hudson have a democratic leadership style.
Each project is "owned" by a lead cabinetmaker, who follows it
through to completion. The status of each project is updated daily
on a wipe board that takes up a full wall of the company's nerve
center ― an office space carved out of the noisy but
extraordinarily tidy workshop. If a cabinetmaker comes up with a
better way of making something, it is chronicled in a production
report and incorporated into future pieces.

Where do they want to be in 5 to 10 years? "At home," jokes
Strang, a new father. Hudson chimes in, on a serious note: "In 5 to
10 years we want to be doing the same thing ― but
better."

How to spot high qualityA high price tag doesn't ensure high quality. Consider these
pointers from Scott Hudson and Peter Strang when shopping for
finely crafted furniture and cabinetry.

Look for solid surfaces. "Solid materials wear and age more
beautifully than veneers and can be refurbished again and again,"
Hudson explains.

Pay attention to veneered components. Make sure a good
substrate, such as plywood, is used; fiberboard and microdensity
fiberboard are inferior. And solid-wood "nosing" ― a piece
of solid wood glued to the edge of the plywood ― is
superior to veneer tape.

Ask how the furniture is finished. Conversion varnish is
stronger and more moisture-resistant than lacquer.

Examine the joints. Overlapping connections are far stronger
than dowelled and glued joints. For stronger joints, finishing
work should be done after assembly.

Ask about the warranty. Henrybuilt offers a lifetime
guarantee with respect to defects in material and workmanship.
"Any good custom cabinetmaker should stand by their work," says
Hudson.